Jhansi Hospital Fire Toll Rises To 11, NHRC Seeks Report From UP Govt

Jhansi/Lucknow: The toll in Jhansi hospital fire has risen to 11 with one more infant, who was undergoing treatment, succumbing to the burn injuries on Sunday.

The National Human Rights Commission has sought a detailed report about the fire incident from Uttar Pradesh government’s Chief Secretary and Director General of Police within a week.

After a massive fire broke out in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College in Jhansi past Friday midnight, sixteen children are still in critical condition, and 44 were rescued.

The tragedy struck Jhansi is now struggling to cope with its loss. Visuals from the hospital showing the grief-stricken parents have gone viral on the social media, painting a disturbing and sordid picture.

“Mera bachcha jal gaya”

One of the visuals shows a woman lying motionless on the land, too shocked to express her grief, while her relatives try to console her. Beside her, a man cries, “mera bachcha jal gaya (my child has been burnt).”

Bhagwati, mother of an infant, recounted how she pulled her child from the fire. “Everyone was screaming as the ward went up in flames. They were picking up the babies and handing them outside the windows. I ran inside, picked my baby, and came out,” she said, as quoted by NDTV.

At least 54 children were in the ward when a fire, possibly caused due to short-circuit, broke out.

The parents of some of the injured children alleged  that they were not being allowed to meet their babies, triggering protest on the hospital premises.

Political Blame Game

The mishap has sparked a political blame game with the opposition alleging negligence by the hospital administration. Samajwadi Party Akhilesh Yadav suggested that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath must leave his election campaigns and focus on the health facilities.

The Congress, too, has alleged the administration’s failure. The Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has called for strict action against the persons responsible for the mishap.

Yogi Adityanath, addressing a rally today, called it a tragic incident. The centre and the state have announced separate compensation for the victims’ families and the injured.